GS Yuasa to Install 1MW Solar Plant With Battery, EV Rapid Charger

GS Yuasa Corp announced June 24, 2014, that it will build a 1MW mega (large-scale) solar power plant in Isesaki City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan.

The plant will be constructed in an idle area of the site of GS Yuasa's Gunma Office. The company will start the construction in July 2014, aiming to start operation in January 2015. The PV inverter and solar panel of the plant are planned to be products of GS Yuasa and another Japan-based manufacturer, respectively.

After starting up the plant, GS Yuasa will sell electricity generated at the plant to Tokyo Electric Power Co Inc (TEPCO) and supply electricity to the office from the plant as an emergency power source if the power grid does not function at the time of disaster, etc. For that purpose, GS Yuasa will install a stand-alone PV inverter (300kW).

In addition, the company will set up a lithium-ion (Li-ion) rechargeable battery (about 100kWh) so that electricity can be supplied even at night or on a rainy day during a power failure. Furthermore, a quick charger (20kW) for EVs will be introduced to charge EVs in case of power outage. Both the rechargeable battery and the quick charger are products of GS Yuasa.

The company started operation of a 1MW solar power plant in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, in June 2013, and the plant in Gunma Prefecture will be its second mega-solar power plant.